Although there is hail on the ground, it is time for spring cleaning. The blue feather duster that I use to help clean out Juno’s cage keeps vanishing? It’s the strangest phenomenom. The duster was here one minute, and gone the next. With the group of kitties clustered around, I lined them up and inspected them for blue breath or blue tongue. No kitties were infected.

I decided to follow the trail of feathers and found Ms. Jedi carefully trying to manuever the feather duster through the cat door. But, she couldn’t quite make it fit.I give her an A for effort though.

Cat Thief!

Juno has limited drainage this morning. My hope is either today or tomorrow we will be able to install his outdoor patio to help him get outside without coming into contact with the other kitties and spreading the URI.
The house will be elevated on a platform about 6 feet from the ground and it will be screened in as well. Mike built it to my specifications. The roof is a strong plexiglass so he can have the advantage of the sun when it finally does come out.
Juno’s hang-out pad

I just returned from picking up Juno. They did not find any polyps 🙁 But they did see extensive scarring and while he was under, they addressed the issue of his earmites/bacterial and fungal infection in his ears. They said he is just going to have to be on long-term antibiotics to keep him comfortable. I’m going to talk to the vet about putting him on holistic measures to see if that will help as antibiotics long-term cause more problems than they solve. They dewormed, de-flead him and sent him home on special diet as his gums are really nasty even though he has no teeth.

He is not a happy boy but he devoured his food when I just now gave it to him. I set up his vaporizer and plugged in his heater and will go and apologize to him later about his day. They did say that the scarring is such that Juno will probably never have a meow again in his life.

I was praying they would find the polyps so he could get better. Now time will tell whether he will be able to overcome all of this and be a better breather.

Ok folks here we go, another selfless plea for monies if possible. It has been decided that Juno stay at the vet’s for a procedure in the morning. The vet suspects (although he can’t actually tell without sedating Juno) that he might have nasal polyps deep in the sinus cavity. He says they are rare, but he is encouraged by the fact that since I have had Juno, he has gained 5 pounds! and that the nasal discharge is substantially less of a flow then when we started on the azithromax. Dr Steve said that if what he suspects is going on is actually going on- then all he has to do (while kitty is under sedation) is pull the stem and the polyp out of the nasal cavity and Juno will become “instantly, substantially better.”

I told him the situation, but I also told him that I can’t just sit idle and watch this kitty try to breathe and not take positive strides to getting him better. I don’t roll that way. The ballpark cost of the procedure is $213.00 depending on what they find. I told him to go for it. I just pray that she doesn’t show up tonight or tomorrow demanding her cats back!

This morning, I noticed that Juno was having great difficulty in drawing breath. From the front of his chest, I noticed he was deeply drawing in each breath and hitching and gulping at the end of each breath. I have called my vet and will be taking him in at 2:20 today. If he gets worse, I will just drop him off there. He is eating and drinking and his discharge is considerably less than it has been but he is giving every indication that he is having problems breathing through his nose. I have stopped the nose drops for now on the advice of my feline specialist when I relayed to her what is going on.

I have been told by the woman who gave me these cats specifically several times ad naseum that I am “not to euthanize Juniper” who is now called Juno. When I talked to the deputy about all of this going on, I asked him what happens if this cat dies under my care naturally? I had asked the deputy if I absolutely had no alternative but to let Juno go- could I legally do so? The answer is no- the cat either has to recover from all the neglect toward his health or die on his own. If he does die, it was explained to me that we then have to pay for a necropsy to PROVE this cat died on his own. What a friggin mess.

I believe in giving every cat a fighting chance to live, but when I see him breathing so labored my heart just bleeds for him. This was so unneccessary to happen to such a handsome boy. I hope he lives, I hope he can beat this but the damage to his lungs and esophagus may be something even he can’t overcome. I’ll post again when I get home from the vets, in the meantime, please offer prayers and postive thoughts that Juno will be able to recover and continue to thrive under our care.

arrives kindness. Praise be to God, I am completely blown away by another blog follower.

Thank you ALL for believing in me especially when I start doubting the sanity of the path I now walk.

Donation

When we woke up this morning, we found this cat who has been fully integrated into our group, skittering across the tile floor being chased by one of the kittens. We watched the two interact and Patience was sliding across the tile on her belly, rolling over on her stomach while Sophia pounced on her soft fur and they rolled together in fun play. Who knew, this hoarder’s cat would be able to recapture her kittenhood. She does get a bit antsy about 6:00 a.m. and then she wants out for a few hours. I’m thinking that’s when the man woke up (and since there were tons of empty liquor bottles all over this house, I suspect he wasn’t in the best of moods. But she is back by noon and meowing at the door to come in.

I still can’t pet her without her becoming pet-aggressive, but she gets along with the rest of the clowder and she has her routine down. Her attack of my hand seems to be more in play- but even in play claws are unsheathed and teeth at the ready. I’ve become a bit attached to my fingers so I don’t push the petting part.

This morning, I cast off the unyielding welding gloves and decided to pet Gadget with my bare hand. Keeping my eyes closed and uttering ferverent prayers, he allowed me to touch his back. His growls were pretty loud, but no hissing and thankfully no striking me. Here he is, in his corner. Not the best picture of this beautiful kitty but until he lowers his defenses, the best I can do>

Gadget

This morning, the handyman came back to help finish the job inside the enclosure. With no word from Karen, I am just going to continue on as if I know what I am doing and help these cats move forward toward new, loving homes. It has been determined that the only way to help these cats is keep them on a steady diet of wet food with supplements until they gain strength and don’t wobble across the floor when they walk. It breaks my heart when I go in to feed because when I am mixing the wet food and supplements together on the table, four of them have their noses deep into the food and are trying to get it all before it goes away! They will be de-wormed again in about three weeks but their hunger is palpable. The food donations are amazing and contain dry food and cat litter. I keep praying a forklift will go through some wet food cases- but I guess that is a selfish prayer.

George and I worked all morning and we were able to screen in all the wire around the front of the cat enclosure until we ran out of screen. We are using pet proof screening to keep the yellow jackets out when the weather gets warmer. They love wet food and I am not about to have a nest of yellow jackets fighting these cats for what is rightfully already belonging to the cats.

I have strung a tarp up over the front to keep the cold and wind out and it was hard for me to keep having to unhook the tarp and bring it down when the weather got nice so kitties could get much-needed sunshine. George came up with a grand plan. We stretched a cable across the front of the building and using caribiners we made the tarp into the system of a shower curtain. I unhook one hook in the morning- grab the rope and draw the entire tarp back and out of the way. I love this guy!

We built another heat cave for the cats in the barn. They were all clustered around the heater this morning when I went inside to feed.(It dipped to 20 degrees!) I was glad to see that the idea that kept Cyclone with us longer will also work for these depleted kitties.

On the Gadget front, using welding gloves, I am able to pet him and his growls and hisses are quite formidable! It’s a few pets in the day before I feed him and my hope is eventually the gloves can come off and we both will be friends. He has found his heated cat bed at night and appears to only want wet food instead of dry- it figures! LOL I have tried soaking dry food in broth, water, tuna juice, but it just doesn’t work for these cats. One could care less and the others need it to continue to survive.

new heating cave

She was adopted out Feb. 10th and Mike just left to go and pick her up. According to her new mama, Jedi has developed some unhealthy behaviors and Wendy simply can’t deal with it any more. She says she loves Jedi so much, but she is to old and to tired to lose this much sleep. The behavior is that now everytime the front door opens- Jedi dashed outside. I guess the other night, she stayed out past curfew 🙂 and then yowled at the door at 3:00 a.m. until Frank got up and let her in. She is also peeing on Wendy’s pillows which make a stinky night of sleep. So she will return in a bit and I will have to put her out in the enclosure until I get her to the vet’s to see if she has a UTI. I would bet not, because Wendy says it is a lot of pee and not small amounts. Oh well, what’s one more cat? *G*

Karen was again a no-show. I did hear she called another rescuer to see if she could put her old kennel out in the pasture and allow her cats to live outside. Fran told her she doesn’t even let the dogs stay outside at night let alone 10 cats. I think this was her last option. Now, she either has to come and take her cats back or sign the release form and leave my life forever.

This morning, Juno’s discharge is still visible, but it isn’t as heavy nor as thick. I can see bubbles foaming out of his nose which shows us that he is kicking some of the infection. Dr. Vicki my feline specialist wants him to stay on the arithomax and we are also going to start giving him an opthamolic ointment that has antibiotics in it. We discussed at length the recent episode of One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest and if she takes these cats back, we probably won’t receive a dime of the care put into them. Did we want to stop medicating him for that reason? No, there is no reason to make him suffer any longer than he already has. I can’t even imagine how he has found any pleasure in eating in the last years when he basically consuming his nasal discharge with his food. I ordered the ointment today through 1-800 Pet Meds

Juno- a happier kitty~

On the Gadget side of things, he had a more relaxed posture this morning. Generally, he is hunched over in the top corner of the cage on top of his carrier. His back has been to me, his eyes large and looming and he never breaks stare. Although it is risky, when I step inside his cage, I keep my eyes closed when I look at him and just talk to him. For right now, he is being fed wet food twice a day, has free feed on dry and I visit his cage only four times in the day, always at the same time, or as close as I can manage. He is growling and staring, but this morning not seeing his rump presented to me gave me hope that he can be worked with.

Keegan- one of “her cats” walked out of the barn enclosure this morning when I opened the door. I thought great! What if he runs? But he just plopped his body down on the ground and rolled over to present his belly for a good rub in the sun. I know that this woman loves these cats. There is no question in my mind that they get love and more love. BUT that’s all they get. They have not had proper care. Five of them have been fed the last ten years, NOTHING but human tuna. Besides all their teeth falling out, they have had to deal with the iodine/mercury and other pollutants within that product with no relief. One kitty is blind in one eye- my guess is from the food. She treats ear mites with salt water- doesn’t use cat litter (to expensive) and uses wood shavings instead. Some woods are highly toxic to cats. I want to run blood work on all these cats to see what we are up against, but for right now, I want them fed proper food and just let them settle into a life, I hope won’t be disrupted in the next 60 days (June 6th) by Oregon law, she can come back and claim them or have me arrested for theft if I don’t turn them over to her. The law is pretty gray in this area. In 30 days which would be April 7th they are “technically” our cats. But, she has 30 days after that were she can come in and claim them. Legally, I found out, I can block her phone number and after the last crazy call, I have done so. But if she shows up and I don’t let her have her cats back they will arrest me and take me to jail. What is that saying? No good deed goes unpunished?

I talked at great length about all of this with Dr. Vicki. She had a similar experience when a couple came into her clinic and told her they wanted her to put down a cat that was sick. They couldn’t afford the medication to make her better. Dr. Vicki asked if she could just have the cat and work to make it better and they said yes. Well the cat got better and when it was healthy again, the couple wanted it back. It was by then acclimated to Vicki and her family- but under the law, she had to give the cat back because of the time frame and no paperwork was ever signed.

Vicki sent me this morning:It appeared in the DVM Magazine

Outrage over ownership dispute, veterinarian’s death plays out on Internet
New York veterinarian Dr. Shirley Koshi dies from apparent suicide; many blame negative campaign against her.

The death of Shirley Koshi, DVM, 55, has caused many in the veterinary community to mourn a fellow veterinarian but also to think deeply about why she apparently took her own life Feb. 16. Some veterinarians have taken to blogs and Facebook pages to address their sadness and concern; others have lashed out on the pages of anti-veterinary groups online that have shown little sympathy for Koshi’s plight.
Koshi opened a solo practice, Gentle Hands Veterinarian, in the Bronx last year. Born in India, Koshi worked more than 30 years in veterinary medicine starting in India, then in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. According to local media reports in New York, Koshi may have been dealing with financial problems with her young practice before she died, but an ugly pet ownership dispute was publicly plaguing her as well.
Local reports say the dispute was over a sick cat—apparently a stray—brought to Koshi by a good Samaritan who found the cat in a park. Koshi adopted the cat, but weeks later, a woman, Gwen Jurmark, came to the clinic claiming ownership of the cat, whom she called “Karl.” Apparently the cat was one of several the woman “kept” at the park. Without sufficient proof of ownership, Koshi would not relinquish the animal.
Jurmark filed a lawsuit against Koshi in October 2013 and organized a demonstration outside Koshi’s clinic. The conflict also played out on the Internet. Protestors and their supporters took to Facebook and other sites—specifically, vetabusenetwork.com, which displays this message from its founder, Julie Catalano: “Every day, untold numbers of defenseless animals are left in the hands of some negligent, incompetent doctors who inflict cruelty, injury, and death on our pets—and get away with it.”
The day after Koshi’s death Catalano posted this update to the Veterinary Abuse Network Facebook page: “BREAKING NEWS…. BREAKING NEWS…. DR. SHIRLEY SARA KOSHI HAS BEEN REPORTED DEAD IN NEW YORK CITY. KARL THE CAT HAS BEEN FOUND.” Three of the torrent of comments that followed included:
> “She was bullied to death it seems by crazy people.”
> “Oh wow. So happy for Karl!”
> “Although I’ve never seen it, could the cause of death possibly be Karma?”
This accelerated the already emotional responses from commenters on both sides. Those in support of Koshi—including other veterinarians—have commented, often in outrage, on the site, accusing Catalano and the site’s commenters of harassment and cyberbullying. Catalano’s response: “I welcome any opportunity to expose to the world the level of true hatred, false and defamatory accusations and the dangerous mob mentality of bully veterinarians and their clueless followers who will stop at nothing to get their way and silence any voices of criticism.”
Some veterinary practices such as Family Veterinary Hospital in Sanford, N.C., are asking its Facebook followers to report the Veterinary Abuse Network’s page to Facebook for harassment. A dvm360 reader created a memorial page pointedly named veterinaryabusenetwork.com to honor Koshi. Catalano hasn’t expressed concern online. She seems to be satisfied with the outcome. “All that matters now is that Karl made it out alive and well for which everyone involved is thankful,” she wrote in a post Feb. 19. “This has been a long and strange saga and I am glad that it ended well for Karl.”
In fact, Jurmark gained possession of the cat when it was released from the Animal Care and Control Center after Koshi’s death.